Honeywell announced today the opening of a new technology center in India, further expanding its technology development capabilities in key areas including refining, petrochemical, low-global-warming and nylon technologies and applications.

The facility in Gurgaon, India, features pilot plants for developing and demonstrating refining and petrochemical process technology by UOP, part of Honeywell’s Performance Materials and Technologies (PMT) strategic business group. The center will also perform other product and application development for PMT, including fluorine and nylon technologies. Honeywell invested $34 million in the 8,830-square-meter (95,000-square-foot) center.

“This new facility will allow Honeywell to put its vast resources to work in collaboration with some of the brightest engineering minds in India,” said Rajeev Gautam, president and CEO of Honeywell´s UOP, who officially opened the center at a ceremony attended by Shri Jaipal Reddy, India’s Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, and other dignitaries. “It brings the development of key technologies closer to our customers in the region and complements our other technology centers around the world.”

The Honeywell India Technology Center will primarily support Honeywell UOP’s work in developing and licensing process technologies used in refining and the production of petrochemicals and renewable fuels. UOP is a recognized leader in refining, petrochemical and biofuel process technology.

Additionally, the facility will support PMT’s efforts to develop new low-global-warming refrigerants, blowing agents and other materials. Engineers at the technology center will also conduct research and customer-specific engineering work in caprolactam, a key material used in nylon production, and nylon resin.

“Honeywell is an industry leader when it comes to investing in research and development,” said Mark Turowicz, managing director of Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies India. “This center adds to India’s growing strength as a global knowledge hub, allowing some of the best engineering minds to produce breakthrough technologies to be used in India and beyond.”

The center will initially employ 40 researchers, with the total expected to grow to 170 in the next five years. The new technology center is Honeywell’s fourth in India.

Honeywell has rapidly expanded its footprint in India, with five manufacturing locations, 10 key offices and sales presence in more than 50 cities. Honeywell’s employee base in India has grown from 1,000 employees in 2002 to more than 12,500 today.